Fluid transfer systems—wherein a fluid is selectively transferred through a fluid passageway defined between an upstream member and a downstream member separated by an intermediate space—are known in a myriad of forms. In such systems, sealing means are employed to seal separate, but related, upstream and downstream components that cannot easily be permanently fused together, or which components otherwise need to be capable of engagement and disengagement and/or which are required to selectively move independently of each other. Such sealing means conventionally take a myriad of forms, including, without limitation, gaskets, O-rings, quad seals, sealing beads, lip seals, etc.
Unfortunately, sealing means of such conventional construction as the aforementioned are attended by a number of drawbacks. First, these sealing means generally require the maintenance of very consistent interface dimensions between the upstream and downstream components being sealed thereby, as conventional sealing means typically possess a limited capacity to compensate for variations in dimensional separation or geometric differences between the components. Even in the case of relatively dynamic sealing means, such as O-rings, quad seals, and lip seals, if there is even a relatively small change in either the distance between the upstream and downstream components or the geometric relationship therebetween, the sealing capacity of these conventional sealing means is compromised and the fluid seal may be lost.
It would thus be advantageous to have a seal member for a fluid transfer system which is capable of compensating for changes in either or both of the upstream and downstream components between which the seal is being established, and/or to compensate for changes in the dimensional or geometric relationships between the components.